WEEK 1: JUNE 2-6, SUPER SPORTS!
Children will participate in playing sports and games, both classic and crazy! From
good old-fashioned kick ball to games like monkey soccer and everything in
between. Amazing athletes will be spending 30 minutes a day leading our students
in athletic fun and games!

WEEK 2: JUNE 9-13, SPLISH SPLASH!
Welcome to wettest week of summer, wear your swimsuit to get soaked! Splash
pad, rubber duck races, and slip ’n slide are just some of the fun activities planned
for this wildly wet-filled week! Come cool off and stay refreshed on the hottest days
of summer. Carebear will have a bouncy water slide this week and we will be visited
by the Chandler Fire Department to learn about water safety.

WEEK 3: JUNE 16-20, CAREBEAR COOKS
Come enjoy the creativity of cooking. This class gives children the opportunity to
enjoy a variety of cooking experiences as they create delicious snacks. Students
will use cooking tools, learn about etiquette and nutrition, and learn how to make
recipes and mix ingredients!

WEEK 4: JUNE 23-27, ANIMAL PLANET
Join us for a week of animals adventures. Our Carebear explorers will learn about
mammals, birds and reptiles. We will have a visit from the Reptile Guy who will
bring his cool creatures.

WEEK 5: JUNE 30-JULY 3, PARTY IN THE U.S.A.
The children will celebrate the USA’s birthday with some good old fashioned
summer fun, watermelon eating, flag making, sidewalk child, water games, s’mores
and much more!

WEEK 6: JULY 7-11, A CAMPING WE WILL GO
It's going to be a wonderful week in the wilderness! The children will enjoy reading
tents, s’mores and games. During this week as well the children will get to learn
about constellations, nature and even get to build a pretend campfire.

Special Discount
for Chandler Unified
School Teachers!

FULTON RANCH RIGGS ROAD
(480) 802-0058 (480) 219-9049

Youth

www.SanTanSun.com

May 3 – 16, 2014

29

Chandler teen nearly ‘Masters’ golf tourney
BY TIM J. RANDALL

Jim Nantz, the incomparable voice
of the Masters Tournament on CBS,
eloquently speaks of the Bobby Jones
co-founded event as “A Tradition Unlike
Any Other.” On Sunday, April 6, the golf
tradition added a distinctive legacy to
its history: The ﬁrst Drive, Chip and Putt
Competition. And for one Chandler
13-year-old, Caden Christopherson, and his
family, it is a memory that will endure for
generations.
The inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt
event—a spirited skills competition for
boys and girls ages 7 to 15—was held at
the iconic Augusta National Golf Club
in Augusta, Ga. It was 80 years removed
from the ﬁrst Masters, then known as the
Augusta National Invitation Tournament.
Eighty-eight junior golfers descended
upon the hallowed grounds of golf history
to compete, with the Bogle Junior High
School student determined to bring home
the top trophy in the 12 to 13 age group.
Caden’s journey, like thousands of other
hopefuls, began with 110 qualifying events
around the country, however, his mission
started while watching the 2013 Masters.
“Other people have Super Bowl parties,
but we have our annual Masters party,”
says Caden’s mom, Lalena.
Watching the telecast that
afternoon, Caden’s father, Eric, who is
a golf aﬁcionado, saw the registration
announcement for the Drive, Chip and
Putt Competition, to be held prior to the
2014 Masters. From that point, Caden and
family were on a mission to Augusta.
Playing out of his home course of

Ocotillo in Chandler, Caden’s ﬁrst task
was to survive local qualifying at Lone
Tree Golf Club, which he successfully
accomplished, then moving on to the
Southwest regional qualiﬁer at Grayhawk
Golf Club in Scottsdale.
“We did not tell him at the time,
but Caden’s point total in the regional
outscored everyone in his age group across
the country by 11 points,” says Lalena.
“Watching him compete, I can
remember his red, yellow and blue plastic
clubs as he swung them around the house
at age 3,” indicates his mother.
Ten years later, as the family prepared
for the competition at Augusta, there was
a perfervid excitement and buzz.
“We were so honored to be there,”
Lalena says. “What the Professional Golf
Association, United States Golf Association
and the Masters have done to promote golf
for and encourage the kids is amazing.”
The expenses incurred by Caden
and Eric—air travel, hotel and meals—
were covered by the Drive, Chip and
Putt Tournament. The rest of the
Christopherson clan came along for the
ride. Arriving Friday night April 4, the
next day saw father and son practice at
adjacent The River Golf Club, followed by
a banquet held that night for the nearly
450 participants and their families at
Augusta National.

Sunday at Augusta
Entering Augusta National Golf Club
begins by traveling down Magnolia Lane, in
reality a journey down a lane of memories
with the history and excellence of the

NO. 3: Caden Christopherson, 13, took third place in the ﬁrst Drive, Chip and Putt Competition.
Photo courtesy of Drive, Chip and Putt Championship

champions who have won and played at
Augusta: Hogan, Snead, Palmer, Nicklaus,
Woods and Mickelson.
As his 10:30 a.m. starting time
approached, Lalena did not sense any
nervousness from her son, “Actually that
whole day he had a smile on his face, he
was so calm.”
Each participant began the
competition with two drives on the
practice range facility; the goal hit it in
play (a 35-yard-wide fairway) and as long
as possible. With his swing thoughts in
mind, honed under the instruction of his
father and Ocotillo’s golf professional Kay

Cornelius, Caden hit for 243 yards, netting
him a solid nine points. And with a quip
paying homage to Roy “Tin Cup” McAvoy,
Caden told his parents: “Toed it a bit.”
Next was the chipping portion of the
skill challenge, two short game shots
closest to the hole; the deft touch of
Caden earning him seven points. Lastly,
came the putting prowess with two
stokes on the slick greens of the Alister
MacKenzie layout. Yet, the best was saved
for last as each contestant had one ﬁnal
putt for their score—a stroke in essence
SEE CHRISTOPHERSON PAGE 31

30

May 3 – 16, 2014

Youth

www.SanTanSun.com

Red Cross honors BASIS student
A senior at BASIS Chandler received
the American Red Cross Grand Canyon
Chapter’s Youth Volunteer of the Year
Award during the Breakfast of Champions
at the Phoenix Zoo.
Out of the nearly 800 volunteers,
Alyson Zhang was the only youth winner.
She was one of 11 volunteers presented
with the award.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” she says of the
award. “I am really honored.”
During the Breakfast of Champions, she
says the winners received a mini portrait
of themselves, as well as bigger portrait
banner and a certiﬁcate.
“I want to thank everyone who helped
me,” Zhang says. “I really did learn a lot. It
really opened my eyes to a bigger picture.”
She received the award for the
volunteer work she did during the summer
of 2013 at the American Red Cross Grand
Canyon Chapter.
“She is the volunteer of the year,”
American Red Cross Arizona Volunteer
Services Director Lillian Garcia says, adding
that the award is given to any outstanding
youth volunteer 20 years old or younger
that has been a volunteer for at least one
year.
She says Zhang is an incredible young
lady who is very committed to the
American Red Cross.
“I had the opportunity to meet her
about a year and a half ago at the (school)
club she is involved with,” she says.
Zhang participated in a three-month
internship working with Garcia as the

volunteer services intern. She learned a
lot, thanks to the Red Cross’ one-on-one
attention.
“I got to be a part of all the different
departments,” she says. “I got to experience
a new opportunity. It’s a real world
experience, not just a school environment.
I got to go out of my comfort zone.”
Garcia says the internship, which
is offered for one to three months, is
available to all Red Cross Club members.
“They need to submit a cover letter as
to which position they are applying for and
a resume of whatever their experiences
are,” she explains.
The applicants are then put through
a screening interview before the ﬁnal
decision is made in the department they
are applying for.
There were eight interns last summer
and Garcia says they are expecting up to 20
this summer.
Garcia says Zhang caught on to what her
duties were very fast during her internship:
Yarnell Hill Fire occurred in July last year.
The ﬁre killed 19 ﬁreﬁghters and the Grand
Canyon Chapter’s relief efforts mobilized
685 volunteers who worked at six shelters.
Nearly 39,000 items were distributed and
more than 60,000 meals and snacks were
served.
“Alyson had enough of the general
overview of services and how to respond,”
Garcia says. “They were ﬁelding phone calls
that were coming in.”
Those phone calls, Garcia says were 10
times more than the volume on a regular
day.

“There were a lot of phone calls,” Zhang
recalls.
While talking to those who called,
she spent time calming them down and
providing guidance with the steps they
should take. Zhang says many of the callers
wanted to make a donation, so she told
them how they could help out.
“She stepped up,” Garcia says. “If they
couldn’t ﬁnd me or someone they needed
to run it by, they would go to Alyson. She
pretty much knew the correct answer.”
That experience, Zhang says, taught her
time management and how to work as a
group. She says she learned how important
it is to communicate while under pressure.

Meghan McCoy is the Neighbors and
Business section editor for the SanTan Sun
News. She can be reached at meghan@
santansun.com.

She also took away the experience of
learning how to speak with others when
they are feeling stressed.
“If you help out with one little task, it
will help relieve the stress,” Zhang says. “A
little will help.”
Her three-month experience, Garcia
says, helped solidify her decision to
become a nurse.
“I want to be a nurse so I can continue
helping people,” Zhang says. “I really like
interacting with other people.”
During her internship, she says she
interacted with many new people. As a
nurse, she says she can interact with and
help others.
Zhang says she may attend the
University of Arizona where she hopes to
join the school’s large American Red Cross
Club.
Zhang became part of the BASIS
Chandler Red Cross Club at her school a
year ago shortly after it was founded. She
says one thing she enjoyed as a member
was giving toys to the children who could
not afford them during the holiday drive.
Garcia says Zhang was responsible for
the growth in membership at the school.
She also headed up the blood drive,
volunteered for the Marine Corps’ Toys
for Tots Depot, Feed My Starving Children,
the Special Needs Dance and a holiday toy
drive.
“She is a very impressive young lady.
I’m very excited. She is going to do some
wonderful things in her life,” Garcia says.

Buy 1 pizza or entree
and get the 2nd of equal
or lesser value at 1/2 price!
Please present coupon at time of order. One coupon per visit.
Alcohol purchases not included. Not valid with any other
specials. Offer expires 5-31-2014.

to win the Masters from the traditional
Sunday location on the 18th green—front
right on the lower terrace.
Caden knew the putt. “It was about
the same spot that Adam Scott made the
winning putt at last year’s Masters,” says a
soft-spoken Caden.
His total for the putting round netted
him an additional seven points, for an
overall total of 23 for the three facets. That
score left him two points away from the
winner at 25 for a third-place ﬁnish.

Presentation
When the competition wrapped up, the
participants were treated to a presentation
of the trophies and a grand luncheon
in the Founders Room, which Lalena
describes as “surreal with the members
in their Green Jackets.” Eight golfers
from each age division were crowned
champions for the event. But, everyone
present was a winner on Sunday, as the
participants got to experience the thrill of
Augusta, and see their heroes. The game’s
luminaries Bubba Watson, Mark O’ Meara
and Jordan Spieth, among others, were
looking on and supporting the endeavor.
Says Lalena, “Bubba Watson was there and
shook every kids hand...just amazing.”
Caden already has plans for a return
visit to Augusta in 2015, this time to win
the championship. The road will be harder
as qualifying will encompass all 50 states
with expectations of as many as 50,000
entries expected. With a family behind
him and in full support, the young golfer
who shoots even par at Ocotillo is humble;
“I’ll do my best,” he says.

May 3 – 16, 2014

SKILLED GOLFER: With his swing thoughts in mind, honed under the instruction of his father
and Ocotillo’s golf professional Kay Cornelius, Caden Christopherson hit for 243 yards, netting
him a solid nine points. Photo courtesy of Drive, Chip and Putt Championship

Final Putt
While not sure if he will ever have
the opportunity to play in a Masters
Tournament, Caden will keep practicing
and playing, while also enjoying all sports,
a priceless gift handed down from his
parents.
The memory of that April Sunday will
endure for Caden and his family for years
to come.
“Caden has a photo with Condoleezza
Rice (the ﬁrst woman invited to be an
Augusta National member), the club just
went above and beyond. Augusta was so
beautiful and amazing, this is the best

thing the Masters has ever done,” says
Lalena.
Golf won huge on Sunday April 6, 2014,
and not coincidentally, Watson, the man
who had taken the time to spend with
the participants that day, slipped into his
second Green Jacket the following Sunday.
That is the Golﬁng Gods looking down
with pleasure for a phenomenal effort
by all involved at Augusta...as Jim Nantz
would say: “A win for the ages.”
Tim J. Randall is a freelancer for the
SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at
news@santansun.com.

Girls and boys entering kindergarten
through eighth grade can have fun while
improving their basketball skills at the Basha
High Summer Basketball Camp throughout
the month of June at the school’s
auditorium, 5990 S. Val Vista Dr., Chandler.
Camps are held from 11 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. Monday through Thursday, June 2
through June 12 and 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Monday through Thursday, June 16 through
June 26. Campers can sign up for one
week, two weeks or all four weeks. Cost
per week is $75, or $250 for all four weeks,
and includes a basketball and camp T-shirt
for each camper. All proceeds from the
camp beneﬁt Basha High’s boys’ and girls’
basketball programs.
Campers receive age-appropriate
instruction from Basha High girls’ and boys’
coaches and staff, focusing on offensive
skills and defensive and team fundamentals.
All campers should bring tennis shoes,
shorts, a T-shirt and plenty of water to
drink.
Online registration is available via credit
or debit card. To register online, visit www.
cusdcommunity.com, click Register for
Our Programs and select Camps/Clinics
and Basha High School. If paying by check
or money order, visit the Community
Education Center at 1525 W. Frye Rd.,
Chandler.

A free SAT
and college
preparation
workshop for
SanTan Sun-area
high school
students and
their parents
will be hosted
by Tutor House
Tutoring Services from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, May 10, in the Monsoon Room
of the Chandler Sunset Library, 4930 W.
Ray Rd., Chandler.
Participants will become familiar with
SAT test format and scoring, question
types and content and strategies and
techniques for SAT subjects, as well
as current information on admissions
trends and how to become the applicant
that colleges are seeking.
Tutor House Tutoring Services is
located at 100 W. Boston St., Suite 4,
Chandler. Sign up at www.TutorHouseAZ.
com to reserve a seat. For more
information, call (480) 857-1222 or email
Tutoring@TutorHouseAZ.com.

Cardon Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Center
nurse Rebecca Sutton has seen ďŹ rsthand
how blankets can soothe sick children.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;It helps make this experience easier
for them. They can be scared when they
come and the blanket is something that
they can hold on to,â&#x20AC;? says Sutton.
For the last 11 years, Sutton has
handed out blankets given to her by
Project Linus, a national organization
that makes by hand blankets for
critically ill children. The Phoenix
Southeast Valley chapter donates
blankets to Chandler Regional Medical
Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NICU and Tempe St. Lukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Hospital. Organizations such as Helenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Hope Chest and All About Us Kids are
also recipients.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since January 2009, we have
delivered about 14,756 blankets to
different groups,â&#x20AC;? says Renee Morgan,
coordinator for Project Linusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Phoenix
Southeast Valley chapter.
Cardon Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Center
nurse Rebecca Sutton has been giving
patients handmade blankets from
Project Linus for the past 11 years.
When a patient arrives at Cardon
Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Center, nurses like
Sutton lay a blanket on the hospital bed
to give the room a touch of home.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more child-friendly and
welcoming for them,â&#x20AC;? says Julie Anich,
Cardon Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Center Life
assistant.
Project Linus offers a variety of

$500

OFF

blankets ranging from cotton, ďŹ&#x201A;eece or
ďŹ&#x201A;annel in a rainbow of colors. The size
varies from small blankets for infants to
larger ones for teens.
Once the blankets are delivered
by volunteers, they are checked over
to ensure that needles are not in the
blankets. After the blankets are washed,
they are handed off to the nurses who
distribute them.
Anich says if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough
blankets for each patient, she and her
staff put stuffed animals in the rooms.
Betsy Rosebrugh, Child Life and 1
Darn Cool School program manager at
Phoenix Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital, says the
children receive blankets from several
organizations.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are appreciative of them. A
patient bed is not very comfortable and
the blanket adds a more personal touch
to the environment,â&#x20AC;? Rosebrugh says.
The blankets donated from local
Project Linus chapters are made by
volunteers, who are part of a group
that creates blankets each month, or
individuals.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We work with school organizations
and Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops
who have made blankets as part of their
service projects,â&#x20AC;? Morgan says.
While places such as Cardon
Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Center and Phoenix
Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital receive donation of
blankets year-round, the holiday season
is when they see an increase in their
donations.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We get more donations at the
holiday time. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that
we need year-round not just during the
holidays,â&#x20AC;? says Rosebrugh.
Morgan says during the summer
months, the organization has fewer
volunteers making blankets because
many of the blanket makers are winter
visitors.
Donations to any of the local
chapters of Project Linus can be made
in different ways, such as monetary
donations or donating materials for the
volunteers to use in making the blankets.
For more information, visit www.
projectlinus.org and click on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chapters.â&#x20AC;?
For Sutton, knowing the blankets are
going to children in need helps.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome what these
people do and that they take the time
to make them for kids they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even
know,â&#x20AC;? says Sutton.
Kathryn Beck is a student at The
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism
and Mass Communication. She can be
reached at news@santansun.com.

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Hamilton
Huskies host
hoops camp
SanTan Sunarea boys and girls
in kindergarten
through eighth
grade can learn the
fundamentals of
basketball, including
shooting, passing
and dribbling, in the 2014 Hamilton
Huskies Basketball Camp in the
Hamilton High School gymnasium this
summer.
Camp sessions run from June 2
through June 5 and June 9 through
June 12. Participants in grades
kindergarten through second attend
from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., grades
third through fifth 10:30 a.m. to 12
p.m. and grades sixth through eighth
12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Cost is $60 per
participant in grades kindergarten
through second or $75 per participant
in grades third through eighth. Each
registered camper receives a camp
T-shirt and camp basketball.
Hamilton High School is at 3700
S. Arizona Ave., Chandler. For more
information or to register, visit www.
cusd80.com/Page/1060 or contact
Coach Kevin Hartwig at (480) 883-5213
or hartwig.kevin@cusd80.com.

Youth
Seton camps set for summer
Summer camps for junior high and
high school kids begin at Chandler’s
Seton Catholic Preparatory School
in June, with a variety of options
available for performing artists and
athletes.
Summer Music Theater Camp
sessions for second to ninth graders
are held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. June 9
through June 20 and July 7 through July
18. Each two-week session introduces
participants to theater and wellrounded performance through small
and large ensemble groups. At the end
of each session, participants take the
stage in Seton’s Fine Arts Theatre to
present a Broadway revue. For more
information and to register, visit www.
setoncatholic.org/fine-arts/summercamp.
A Junior Sentinels Girls Basketball
Camp is held June 9 through June 13.
Girls in sixth through ninth grades
attend from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; cost
is $65. Girls in third through fifth grade
attend from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; cost is
$35. The camp provides fundamental
instruction from current and former
Sentinel all-stars and coaching staff,
including Varsity Coach Karen Self,
with fun and motivational games and
competitions. Register by June 4 at
www.setoncatholic.org/athletics/
news-stats/junior-sentinels-girlsbasketball-camp.
Other Seton sports camps offered
this summer include a girls’ volleyball

camp June 2 through June 7, for fourth
through 12th grades; football, June 9
through June 26 and July 7 through
July 17, seventh through 12th grades;
boys’ basketball, June 16 through June
20, kindergarten through eighth grade;
girls’ soccer, June 9 through June 12,
seventh through 12th grades; softball,
June 16 through June 20, fifth through
eighth grades; and swim and dive, Aug.
4 through Aug. 7, sixth through 12th
grades.
Seton Catholic Preparatory is a
private, coeducational high school
open to all faiths, located at 1150
N. Dobson Rd., Chandler. For more
information and to register, visit www.
setoncatholic.org.

May 3 – 16, 2014

33

Disney star
leads ACT
workshops
Rachel Potter, star of Disney,
Broadway and “The X Factor,” will
give feedback and advice to aspiring
performing artists during a day of
educational workshops Saturday, May 10,
at Ahwatukee Children’s Theatre, 108 S.
54th St., Chandler.
A workshop for students ages 9 to
13 runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed
by a workshop for students ages 14 to
19 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. During these
workshops, participants will perform a
prepared two-minute vocal piece for
Potter. Potter will also discuss “tricks of
the trade,” performance and audition
techniques and more. Space is limited
to 20 students per class. Cost is $150 per
participant, including a ticket to Potter’s
performance later that evening.
The third workshop is a “Talk Back”
session with Potter from 5 p.m. to 6:30
p.m., available for children and adults
of all ages. Participants will have the
opportunity to ask questions and
seek advice. Space is limited to 100
participants. The “Talk Back” session
is followed by a private house concert
performed by Potter at 8 p.m. Cost is
$25 for each.
For more information, visit www.
azact.org.

34

Youth

May 3 – 16, 2014

Kids’ golf camp swings
for the summer
Children ages 6 to 14 in grades
kindergarten through eighth can perfect
their swing at one of the Junior Golf
Summer Camps offered by Chandler’s
Bear Creek Golf Complex this summer.
Camps run Monday through Thursday
mornings from June 2 through July 16,
during which children will be introduced
to the basic principles and fundamentals
of golf. Putting, chipping, pitching,
bunker shots and the full swing with
irons and woods will be taught during
each session, along with safety, golf
etiquette, sportsmanship and the rules
of golf.
Camp sessions are limited in size,
with a maximum child-to-instructor
ratio of 8 to 1, and campers grouped
by age and ability level. Cost is $50
per week per child, and includes PGA
Professional instruction and unlimited
range balls during each daily one-hour
class. An optional golf pass may also
be purchased for $20, by registered
campers only, for unlimited play on
the Cub course during their weekly
camp session; tee time reservations are
required with the use of this pass.
Bear Creek Golf Complex is at
500 E. Riggs Rd., Chandler. For more
information or to register, visit www.
bearcreekaz.com or call (480) 883-8200.

PAR FOR THE COURSE: Kids can learn the
fundamentals of golf at Bear Creek’s Junior
Golf Camp this summer. Submitted photo

www.SanTanSun.com

YOUTH CHRONICLES
Jayden Chavez and Austin Falk
of Chandler are on the fall 2013
Dean’s List at Biola University in La
Mirada, Calif. To qualify, students
must earn a grade point average of
3.6 or higher while enrolled in 12 or
more credit units with a cumulative
grade point average of at least 3.2.
Kyle Homewood and Alexandra
Ortiz of Chandler are among 42
seniors who earned the Gold Axe
Award for achievements at Northern
Arizona University in Flagstaff.
The awards were announced at the
Gold Axe and Distinguished Seniors
awards banquet at the High Country
Conference Center in Flagstaff.
Students chosen for a Gold Axe
award are also eligible for the
President’s Prize.
Erin O’Toole of Chandler earned
a gold medal at the USA Judo
National Youth and Scholastic
Championships held recently in
Irving, Texas. She is invited to
represent the United States at the
World Junior Judo competitions in
Greece and France. Erin is a student
at Southwest Judo Academy in
Mesa.
Jiahe Qu of Chandler is the
national third-place winner in the
Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest.
She will travel to Washington, D.C.,
for the national award celebration.

The Federal Junior Duck Stamp is
a federally legislated American art
competition in which students must
draw or paint a duck realistically;
the first-place art from the national
contest is used to create a National
Junior Duck Stamp each year. Jiahe
takes art lessons at Xiao Su Studio
in Chandler.
The Arizona Hockey Union
Midget U16AA youth hockey team,
including Hamilton High students
Gavin Fischenich, Colton Seeman,
Seth Lind and Jordan Woodall as
members, took home the secondplace silver medal recently at
the 2014 USA Hockey National
Championship tournament in
Reston, Va.

CHANDLER UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT
May 26: Memorial Day holiday; no
school
May 28: High school graduation; last
day of school; fourth quarter ends
May 29: Teacher inservice workday; no
school

CTA-Independence Hawks
Celebrate teachers – Celebrate the
amazing teachers at CTA-Independence
the week of May 5.
Kudos – CTA-Independence recently
hosted its parent volunteers for breakfast.
Staff and students both appreciate
everything volunteers do to make the
school run smoothly.
Save the dates – The 2014-2015 school
year begins July 21. Check out district
dates for early release, intersession and
more for the upcoming school year at
www.cusd80.com/page/1298.
Calendar
May 7: Band concert, 7 p.m.
May 14: PTO general meeting, 3:30 p.m.
—Wendi Olson

Hancock Heat
Music notes – The band and orchestra
concert will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday,
May 6.
Lunch date – All volunteers are
welcome to join Hancock’s Volunteer
Appreciation Lunch Thursday, May 15.
Tax credits – Donations for 2014 can
be given any time. Up to $400 can be

donated to Hancock for credit on 2014
taxes for the full amount. Thanks to
the Hancock families who have already
contributed.
—Andrea Dickson

and approximately 30 countries.
Any donations are welcome to help
defray expenses. All donations are tax
deductible.
—Andrea Stickland

Hull Heroes

Tarwater Toros

May days – Staff and Teacher
Appreciation Week, the week of May
5, is a great opportunity to show
appreciation for the wonderful Hull
Elementary staff and teachers. Also,
the last reading incentive store for this
school year will be in May. Students
with Eagle Bucks in the bank will get the
opportunity to spend all the money in
May to make purchases at the special
PTO-sponsored Reading Incentive Store.
Mufﬁns for Moms – Moms are invited
to come in with their Hull students
from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Friday, May 9,
to enjoy mufﬁns, juice, milk and coffee
before school.
Kudos – Hull has been named an A+
School of Excellence by the Arizona
Education Foundation.
Thanks due – Thanks to Hull PTO,
faculty and staff for a successful
Read-a-Thon.
Calendar
May 5-9: Staff and Teacher
Appreciation Week
May 5: Fourth-grade recorder concert,
6:30 p.m.
May 6: Fifth- and sixth-grade orchestra
concert, 6:30 p.m.
May 7: Fifth- and sixth-grade band
concert, 6:30 p.m.
May 9: Mufﬁns for Moms, 7:30a.m.-8:15

Teacher thanks – Tarwater parents
and students will celebrate their
hard-working teachers during Teacher
Appreciation Week May 5 through
May 9. Each day features a fun theme,
including ﬂowers, personalized thankyou notes and pampering items.
Class notes – Tarwater sixth graders are
excited to test out the scientiﬁc method
at their upcoming Science of Baseball
ﬁeldtrip at Salt River Fields. Students are
also deep in Renaissance project reports
and waiting for the chance to teach the
rest of the Toros a little bit about life
in the Middle Ages at the Interactive
Renaissance Fair Friday, May 9.
Kindie class notes – Every kindergarten
student gets his or her own caterpillar
for the science study of life cycles.
Students will observe the stages and
report ﬁndings in science journals.
Students also recently enjoyed a
ﬁeldtrip to Butterﬂy Wonderland,
thanks to tax credit donations. The
Kindergarten Promotion Program will
be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22.
Running results – Toros participated
in the ﬁrst Bogle Junior High Running
Club Invitational Meet for all of Bogle’s
elementary feeder schools. Tarwater

ROYAL AFFAIR: Princesses, kings, knights,
princes, dragons, wolves and more were
in attendance at the annual Fairytale
Night performance held recently by the
kindergarten classes. Submitted photo

Ryan Royals
The Odyssey – Ryan Royals recently
placed ﬁrst in the Division I Driver’s
Test Problem category in the Odyssey
of the Mind competition, the only
Chandler school to place. Students
have the opportunity to travel to Iowa
State University May 27 through June
1 to compete against other states

boys ﬁnished third overall and Tarwater
girls ﬁnished second overall. Tarwater
students Ryan Dempsey placed third in
the Sixth Grade Boys Individual, Adrian
Laroussi placed ﬁrst and was the overall
winner in the Fifth Grade Boys Individual
and Tatum McMillan placed third in the
Fifth Grade Girls Invitational. Congrats
to all who participated.
Language learning – Tarwater will
offer a Kindergarten Mandarin
Immersion program for the 2014-2015
school year. Contact Tarwater for more
information at (480) 883-4300 or visit
the school website.
—JoAnne Cawley

Bogle Bulldogs
Speed racers – Bogle Junior High
recently hosted its ﬁrst Running
Club Invitational, promoting fun and
healthy lifestyles. All 11 elementary
schools that feed into Bogle were
invited to send their best runners
to participate; all participants
had to be recommended by their
Running Club coaches and sponsors
for demonstrating past success in
district races and attendance, effort
and participation. Participants ran
a friendly, timed, competitive race,
covering the 2-mile cross-country
course that runs through Bogle’s
campus and Dobson Park. All runners
were given event T-shirts and water
bottles, and trophies awarded to the

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top three boys and girls in fourth,
ﬁfth and sixth grades, as well as a
championship cup for the top girls’
and boys’ team ﬁnishes. The meet
was sponsored by Chamberlain
Orthodontics.
—Todd Daniels

growth, leadership development and
career preparation opportunities for
students in Family and Consumer
Sciences education.
—Carol Skyopec

Basha High Bears

Bench the Bag – CTA-Goodman
collected 708 pounds of plastic bags
during the “Bench the Bag” collection
drive held earlier this year. Nine
schools participated in the effort to
help the environment by recycling
plastic bags. CTA-Goodman came in
third place, winning a birdcage made
from the recycled materials; it will
be proudly displayed as a reminder
that only a small amount of effort
is needed when working together to
make a difference in the community.
Thanks to the Goodman Go-Getters
and Jill Savage for sponsoring CTAGoodman’s collection and thanks to
the community for its support.
Calendar
May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 6: National Teacher Day
May 7: National School Nurse Day
May 9: Sixth Grade/Staff Softball
Game, 8:30 a.m.
May 14: Band assembly for grades
3-6, 1 p.m., Multipurpose Room; Band
concert, 6:30 p.m., Multipurpose
Room
May 16: PTO Box Top/Label Contest
ends
—Kathie Butters

High honors – Student teams
from Basha High’s Career Technical
Education Program (CTE) recently
competed in the Arizona State FCCLA
entrepreneurship competition in
Tucson. Senior Erika Thorlton and
junior Savana Lawrey earned the
highest gold medal score in the
Entrepreneurship event and will travel
to San Antonio, Texas, this summer for
the national competition, where the
girls will be the sole representatives
from Arizona. Sabrina Bajc and Hannah
Steele also earned a silver medal and
placed seventh overall in the state
for Entrepreneurship. Additional BHS
winners included Ahhyeon Choi and
Jamillah Luepke, with silver medals
in Recycle and Redesign; Hailee
Alexander and Ariana Swanson,
with bronze medals in Recycle and
Redesign; and Maggie Gorman and
Sylvia Kokes, with bronze medals
in the Front of House and Cupcake
Decorating events, respectively.
FCCLA (Family, Career and Community
Leaders of America) is a national
career and technical student
organization that provides personal

Knox Knights
Save the dates – Teacher Appreciation
Week runs from Monday, May 5,
through Friday, May 9; show the
dedicated Knox staff how great they
are by participating in the special
activities listed on the Teacher
Appreciation Week ﬂier available
at www.knoxpto.com. The ﬁnal PTO
meeting will be held at 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, May 6, during which 20142015 PTO Board members will be
voted in; the agenda is posted on the
PTO website.
Mufﬁns for Moms – Moms, grandmas,
aunts and every “mom-like” ﬁgure
for Knox Knights, are invited to join
students for “Mufﬁns for Moms,”
beginning at 8:15 a.m. Friday, May 9.
Dads are encouraged to volunteer to
help set up and/or clean up and serve
breakfast treats.
Box Tops – The ﬁnal deadline to bring
Box Tops is Friday, May 16. The primary
(K-2) winning class gets entry tickets
to Bounce-U; the intermediate winning
class (3-6) gets tickets to Xtreme Air.
Thanks to these local businesses for
supporting schools.
Calendar
May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 6: PTO meeting
May 7: Knox Orchestra concert, 6 p.m.;
Band concert, 7 p.m.
May 8: KGA Orchestra concert, 6 p.m.;
Band concert, 7 p.m.
May 9: Mufﬁns for Moms
—Jacqueline Bartrim

CTA-Goodman Gators

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Seton High Sentinels
Award winners – Eleven Seton
Catholic Preparatory students from
the school’s Chinese Mandarin
program were honored with Young
Leadership and Talent Awards
presented by Phoenix Mayor Greg
Stanton at the 35th anniversary
ceremony of the Phoenix and
Taipei Sister Cities relationship. The
students were part of the ribboncutting ceremony for a new exhibit
at Phoenix City Hall by master Chen
Yang Chun, a Taiwan national treasure
artist. The Chinese Mandarin course
of study at Seton was recognized
for inspiring the talents of young
leaders to achieve success and
express creativity in language, art and
calligraphy. In addition to learning
the Chinese language, Seton students
participate in hands-on activities
with Chinese culture and traditions
such as calligraphy, painting, sports,
folk arts and crafts and cultural
dances.
—Kim Cecere

Youth

May 3 – 16, 2014

37

Camps focus on technology, Spanish
Ken Chan and Claudia Moreno,
owners of Future Kiddies and
Spanish Kiddos, announced that their
organization will conduct a summer
Spanish and Technology Combo Camp
Monday, June 2, through Friday, June 27.
Youngsters ages 3 to 11 can be enrolled
for a week or for the full month.
“Our philosophy is ‘I can do anything
if I put my mind to it’ and we help
provide youngsters with the tools to
stimulate the imagination,” says Chan.
“I teach in Spanish,” says Moreno.
“This program is more than colors
and numbers. It is about learning real
language situations and developing oral
communications skills. All the students
are surrounded by the target language
and they learn just the same way you
learn your first language.”
Half-day and full-day sessions are
offered. Half-day Spanish activities
run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Halfday technology and LEGO events are
from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Full-day
sessions that include both Spanish and
technology are from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Children enrolled in half-day activities
should bring a snack and full-day
students will need to bring their lunch.
The cost is $125 per week for halfday sessions and parents will need to
choose Spanish or technology. The
full-day option that encompasses both
Spanish and technology is $250 per
week. Those who register before May 13
will receive 10 percent off. All summer

camp sessions will be held at Spanish
Kiddos, located at 202 S. Gilbert Rd.,
Gilbert.
The Technology Combo Camp is
in alignment with the Common Core
State Standard, with a focus on science,
technology, engineering and math
(S.T.E.M.) learning. The enrichment
program promotes skills, abilities and
knowledge that youngsters can apply in
the real world during everyday life.
Children in the Spanish portion
will embark on adventures in multiple
disciplines that include art, crafts,
music, puzzles and more. Participants
in the interactive language experience
begin the very first day learning how
to ask questions and utilize common
phrases in Spanish, such as “May go to
the bathroom.” Children don’t need
any prior experience with the Spanish
language to participate. A different
theme is used each week.
Those participating in afternoon
sessions of technology and LEGO
develop skills through computer
and technology-related experiences
guided by certified instructors from
DiscoveryKids Puterbugs that promotes
S.T.E.M. learning. The computer portion
of learning activities is the only
program of its kind in Arizona and the
only one backed by DiscoveryKids.
Youngsters will learn how to navigate
independently through activities
appropriate to the child’s individual
age level and understanding. Children

participate in a different mission each
day.
The Spanish and Technology
Combo Camp offer youngsters a
unique interactive learning experience
that’s fun and entertaining. The Camp
promotes learning, teamwork and
social skills, along with academics and
problem solving. Camp activities build
confidence and create a foundation
that youngsters can build upon later in
life.
Future Kiddie is located at 1020 E.
Ray Rd., A5-198, Chandler. Contact
Ken Chan at (480) 331-3068 or email
at futurekiddie@futurekiddie.com.
For more information, visit the www.
futurekiddie.com.
Spanish Kiddos is located at 202 S.
Gilbert Rd., Gilbert. Contact Claudia
Moreno at (602) 628-9941 or email
at Claudia@spanishkiddos.com. For
more information, visit http://www.
spanishkiddos.com.

WHERE KIDS EAT
FREE
The SanTan Sun News now
has a regular “Where kids eat
free” section.
Restaurant owners, please
email us details such as days
of the week kids can eat
free at your establishment,
and what conditions apply,
such as purchase of an adult
meal, certain hours, etc.,
Include your restaurant name,
address, phone and website
and a contact name for
veriﬁcation.
Readers, if you know of
a location that has a kidseat-free program, email us
with the restaurant name,
a phone and / or email for
conﬁrmation and details.
Email information to
KidsEatFree@santansun.com.

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